Thunder on Wings
by eaglenation
Summary: The story happens during Metal Fury and follows an unlikely pair of bladers who have the most unlikely of adventures on a secret mission from the WBBA. Anika has vowed to help Tsubasa, and they encounter many problems in many forms, including a crush and a guy named Ty who wants to stop them at all costs. Rated T for mild violence and cursing.
1. The New

I sit on the fence, staring out over the empty field. My hand is wrapped around my bey, and I can feel it's power. Midnight Mare, her round fusion wheel cold against my palm. I sigh, and I know my hand has lit up with a dark blue light, the same colour as Mare's bey spirit.

"Anika?" I lose my balance as Maddie pokes me from behind.

"Maddie! Whoa!" I tumble off the fence, and Mare falls out of my hand and lands at Maddie's feet. My friend glances down at it with a smile. "Oh no, have I gotten dear Mare dirty?" She asks in mock horror.

"Shut up. There's a big tournament coming up, and I want to be in top shape."

"Anika, there's always a big tournament of some kind somewhere. You're not still bummed out that we missed the world Championship finals?"

"Don't bother." I grunt as I lift myself off the ground. I pick Mare up and rub my sleeve across her blue facebolt, the once with crisscrossing lines that depict the head of a horse and the letter M. A mare is a female horse, and so I've always referred to Mare as a _she_. Unlike all those other bladers, who have always referred to their beys as_ it_. I glance back longingly at the field, and Maddie follows my gaze to the grazing pinto gelding.

"Apache can wait." She pats my shoulder. I've always admired Maddie for being so careless. She has that friendly smile and the big blue eyes of a child, and her blond locks are to die for. Her attitude is even displayed in her bey, Wing Apus, the bird of paradise constellation. She's always trying to cheer everyone up, and it usually works. Except on Ty, the hard-core, sullen blader of Cyclone Crane. Truth is, if Maddie wants to complain about me being too focused on Beyblade, she can go complain to Ty, too.

"Poor Apache." I sigh. Apache is the best horse in Fusion Stables. The stables are famed for their unique ways; we ride horses and Beyblade, all day, and well, sleep all night, like normal people. Beyblade strengthens the arms, and riding strengthens our legs, providing a unique balance. Apache's been really nervous since that guy showed up. The one I so desperately wanted to battle. Maddie and André held me back, though.  
He wore his coat around his shoulders, and a golden headpiece around his head. His hair was white, streaked with red. He walked right into Fusion, scaring the horses into a frenzied panic. That's when my darling got hurt.

"So, is there anyone worth battling here? I have a new power, and I'd like to test it out. Before my real battle." He's asked as if he owned the place. He glowed with a red aura that made everyone back up. I would have stepped forward, but Maddie grabbed my arms and held me back.

"Anika, do you realise who that is?" She had had whispered.

"A dick who just scared the shit out of our horses?" I replied, struggling.

"That's Ryuga! The guy who nearly destroyed the world and was finally defeated by Gingka Hagane?" Maddie hissed.

"Well, great, he needs to be taught a lesson." I pulled free, but he had turned his back and left, coat flapping behind him like a demented bat's wings. Then the World Beyblade Championships came around, and I was sure he'd be there. So I had entered, and of course, become team leader for Team Ultimate Freeze, the Canadian representatives. That's when I had met Ty, the representative from Nunavut, and André, the kind Quebec blader. Maddie, becoming the sub, made it on too. We beat Australia in two hits, and Mexico went down easily, though André lost his big battle. Then we met up with the Dominican Republic, who gave us some trouble, but I busted through easily enough, creating a new special move for my Mare, Iron Defense Hoof Strike. Then, the States came around. Aiming for two wins in a row, we got too cocky. Instead of going last, I went first, taking down their member Zeo and his Flame Byxis. Then Jack came around, and we were lost. Let's just keep it at that. Ty is _still _mad at Maddie and André.  
I guess it came as a relief when I found out that Ryuga guy had never joined the World Tournament after all.

"Anika?" Maddie taps me on the shoulder and waves a hand in front of my face. I back up.

"Yeah, sorry."

"Still mad about never being able to face off with Ryuga?" Maddie knows me too well.

"I guess."

"C'mon, let's go back to the house. Andrés cooking again!" Maddie encourages.

"Oooh! Yay!" I skip up the stone path that leads from the fields to Maddie's house. From the right, I can hear Beyblattle's coming from the barn. From the left, I see a girl on a horse, her instructor taking her though her paces. I bound through the door and into the kitchen, where André is cooking on an old stove. He's wearing his fluffy black jacket, and his spiky black hair seems messier than usual. He turns too us holding two bowls of spaghetti, and, as usual, his eyes give me a sudden jolt. I never got used to them, for the months I've known him. They are two different colours: One a dark red, and the other a sea green, the same colour as his Storm Hydra's' bey spirit.

"So, you finally finished daydreaming, eh Last?" He grins at me and hands me a bowl.

He has a funny Quebec accent that I mimic with perfection: "Finally finished annoying me, DeLamour?" His grin spreads and he nods.  
"To the dining room, Last. Is Temper coming to dinner?"

"Ty's out being a dick once again." I sigh, and smile broadly. Ty's last name always makes me laugh, as it fits him perfectly. Ty Temper and Cyclone Crane. The bird with an attitude. I grab my bowl of spaghetti and head into the rickety old dining room, only to be surprised by a teenager that I`ve never seen before, sitting on one of the dangerous table chairs.

He has long silver hair that he holds low with a golden band, and he's wearing a brown and purple sleeveless shirt that would soon make him freeze his arms off, had it been winter. He has beige pants and two belts, both holding bey equipment, and a bey holder strapped around his arm. He looks up from a bowl of spaghetti, and my heart does a tap-dance. His eyes a gold, with the sharpness of an eagle's gaze.  
"And you are?" I sit across from him, and my heart slowly returns to normal. He looks vaguely familiar, but I can't place him.

"Tsubasa Otori." He holds out his gloved hand and I grasp it for a moment.

"Anika Last." I answer casually. "Now, what brings a stranger to poor little countryside?" I dig my fork into my spaghetti.

"WBBA business." He answers shortly, and this, for some reason, annoys me.

"Oh, how quaint!" I exclaim with sarcasm. "Cause we get WBBA peeps here every day!" I continue, and the teenager glares at me with those eagle eyes, then sighs.

"I'm looking for the Legendary Bladers." He lays his fork down and gets up.

"Is that it?" I complain.

"Yes." He answers shortly.

"Well, how long are you staying?" I try again.

"A day." He answers shortly again.

"Well, why don't you tell me this in a bey battle?" I challenge him, blocking his path. He sighs and eyes me warily.

"Guess it couldn't hurt. You seem like you could put up a fight." He takes out his bey from the bey holder strapped to his arm.

"This here is Earth Eagle, of the eagle constellation." He says. I roll my eyes and take out Mare from my pocket.  
"Feast your eyes, for this shall be your doom. Midnight Mare. Of the Pegasus minus the wings constellation." I joke. I see the light glint off her metal fusion wheel and Mare begins to feel warm in my hand, ready for a battle.

"You know I've fought along Gingka Hagane. Team GanGan Galaxy?" He says as I guide him out the house, towards the nearest beystadium.

"Good for you. All you Japanese bladers, calling yourselves number one." I groan dramatically. "We would have faced off eventually in the world championships, then. I was on Ultimate Freeze, but I don't brag about it." We enter the barn, or bey barn as we call it. Two large stadiums are in it, ringed with bales of hay for the horses. A boy is in the middle, facing off with…..  
Ty Temper.  
I knew he'd try to ruin my night.


	2. The Temper

Ty is battling with the same ferociousness as usual, or maybe more. His Cyclone Crane is bringing up clouds of orange energy.  
I'm just afraid of what he'll do to an unwanted newcomer. I know Tsubasa can defend himself well. But well enough to face Ty Temper? I highly doubt it.

"Special move! Crane, Soul Wind Vortex!" His bey spirit, a sandhill crane, emerges from his bey, glowing an orange light. It bores down on the stadium and sends the other blader flying into a hay barrel in a blast of heat. Ty catches his bey with a satisfaction, and steam rises off his black glove.

"That was fun." He turns his ice blue eyes on Tsubasa and me.

"Look at this! GanGan Galaxy graces us with their presence!" He exclaims with mock happiness.

"Oh, go bury yourself in the hole you came from." Tsubasa answers with equal venom.

"Boys, boys." I swear, their looks are as heated as their bey spirits. "Come on!"  
This is exactly, precisely, on the dot what I feared. Besides me and Mare becoming a smudge on the wall.

"Ty." I poke him as he continues to death stare at the eagle-eyed blader. Bird versus bird. The crane and the eagle. I must admit, it would be interesting to watch.

"Ty, we just wanted to use the Beystadium."  
He blinks, but otherwise does not acknowledge my existence on this planet.

"Hey! TY TEMPER!" I scream.

"Anika! I almost made him blink!" Ty complains and rubs his arm, now death staring at me.

"You blinked before." I point out. I can see the anger in his eyes and know I shouldn't push him, but I still do. I know I'm playing with fire.

"Yeah, but I'm special." He growls.

"Yeah, Special ed." I nudge him towards the door. This is where poor Ty's short temper stopped existing. He grabs me and pins me up against the wall, his white hair flying around his pale face. He pins my arm above me, so I can't pull out Mare, and digs his long fingernails into my arm full force. I cry out, I can't help it. I see Tsubasa make a move towards us, but Ty holds him back with his other hands, muscles rippling. Tsubasa stops, fear and shock flashing in his golden eyes.

"You. Do. Not. Push, touch, shove or otherwise interact with me. You. Lowly. Creature." Ty hissed, then he lets me drop to the floor and storms out of the barn.

Tsubasa's by my side, helping me.

"Oh wow….I can't believe he would…" He holds me up as I recover.

"Thanks." I pull away. "You still want to battle?" I ask, trying to stop the shaking in my knees.

"Why is he like that?" Tsubasa asks.

"To be honest? I don't really know!" I exclaim. Tsubasa has a look of contemplation on his face, and he takes out Earth Eagle and stares at it for a while.

"Has he ever….." He stops like the questions horrifies him. "ever battled Ryuga? Before Gingka, I mean. It is hopefully impossible, considering you live here and Ryuga in Japan, but….."

"What are you-"

"Nothing." He stops me midsentence. "Nothing at all. Let's battle." He leaps onto the other side of the stadium in a graceful somersault. He pulls out his launcher, and attaches Eagle. I pull out mine and do the same with Mare, though my movements are half hearted.

"Three, two….." Tsubasa starts, and I finish:

"one…..Let it Rip!" Our beys detach themselves from their launchers and collide in the center of the stadium.

"Eagle!" Tsubasa yells and his purple bey leaps into the air. "Special move: Diving Crush!"

"Not gonna work!" I exclaim. Mare explodes in a shield of dark blue light. Eagle comes crashing down on top of her.

"Hang on! Mare, Iron Defense Hoof Strike!" Eagle collides with the shield and bounces away. I feel energy surge through me, the eagerness to battle a strong opponent.

"What?!" Tsubasa cries as his Eagle wobbles on impact.

"Witness: Mare's spin track can deflect and do damage at the same time when it moves." I crow with pride.

"You're kidding! Wow, you're strong!" There's admiration in his voice. "Not stronger than me though!" Eagle begins to chase my Mare around the stadium.

"Mare, go now!" Mare stops in its tracks, and Eagle goes careening into it.

"Ha! That's called suicide!" Tsubasa grins at me as Eagle pounds away at Mare in a barrage attack.

"Don't make me laugh! You think I would have taken that attack if I wasn't prepared?" I call, smiling smugly. "Mare is the ulitmate balance type! She has the stamina of a mustang horse, the strength of a draft horse and the attack of a cornered stallion." I say, naming Mare's strengths from heart. I see Tsubasa's smile drop, but then it comes back.

"Well then, it looks like I'll have to try a different technique!" His eyes glint mischievously as Eagle flies out of the stadium again.

"So much for changing technique!" I crook my finger at him, tauntingly. He growls.

"Eagle! Let's go! If this is what it takes, then I'll do it! Special move: Eagle, Shining Tornado Buster!"  
His eagle bey-spirit emerges from his bey and begins to swirl into a giant tornado. My body begins to heat up, and pure energy flows through me and into my bey. I begin to glow a dark blue, and my Mare's bey spirit emerges from my bey: A giant dark blue horse in knight's armour. I know this is it: The final showdown. And I won't give up. As Mare rears on her hind legs, I call out my other special move, watching Eagle's tornado as if in slow motion.

"Special move: Mare, Iron Will Charger!" Mare begins to whirl in a circle with a speed that lifts the bey off the ground. From the middle, Mare emerges herself, ducks her head and sends the enrgy flying at eagle. They collide in a blast of purple and blue, that sends both me and Tsubasa flying against the walls. The energy explodes, and hay bales come raining down around us.


	3. The Legend

I groan and lift myself off the ground.

"Mare?" I ask.  
Tsubasa is leaning against a hay barrel, panting.

"Eagle?" He calls. I walk over to the stadium and peer over the edge. Both of our beys are lodged deep inside the rock, neither of them spinning.

"It….It's a tie!" We say together and then glare at each other.

"Well, that was amusing." I say, walking into the stadium and picking up my bey. There is a crack on her fusion wheel, and I see equal or greater damage had been done to Eagle.

"Yes, yes it was." Tsubasa agrees. He leans down and dislodges Eagle from the rock.

"We busted the stadium." I smile guiltily. "André is gonna kill me."

"Well, what now?" My opponent asks. There are pieces of hay in his silver hair, and I walk over to him and pull one out, grinning.

"Well, if you are staying, then allow me to show you where you're sleeping." I point to the loft where more hay is stacked. "Amuse toi." I say in French, just to bug him.

"Huh?"  
"Have fun." I repeat, grinning even wider. "You stay at a stable, you sleep in the hay loft."

"Oh, I've slept in worse places." He assures me. "This is nothing." He begins to climb the ladder.  
"You do realise I was kidding?" I call as he climbs halfway.

"Oh." He sweatdrops and I start laughing.

"You Japanese bladers are _soooo_ gullible." I joke. "But back to serious matters, what _are_ you doing in Canada?" I add. He turns around on the ladder.

"I told you, looking for legendary bladers." He says like he did earlier, and like it did earlier, this answer bugs me to no end.

"I know, but how and where?" I probe. "And what is a legendary blader?"

He sighs. "A blader who's bey contains a star fragment."

"So anyone can be this legendary blader?" An idea begins to form in my mind. I wonder if there is a way to become one.

"Well, it is usually a strong blader, I guess. There were ten star fragments that scattered across the globe."

"Continue….." I am becoming more interested by the second.

"This is classified information." He stops. "Unless….unless you know someone whose bey might contain a star fragment."

"Like Ty?" I shiver as I remember the encounter earlier.

"Like Ty." He answers hesitantly. "But this could be anyone."

"Then I can help you. I know everyone around here. But come on; let's talk about this where there are no prying ears." I say. He jumps down the remaining length of the ladder and I lead him out the door, towards the paddock where I had been sitting earlier.

"I want you to meet someone." I tell him. We approach the paddock and I whistle; Apache comes trotting towards us, nickering.

"Apache, Tsubasa. Tsubasa, Apache. Great, now you know each other!" I point to Apache, who has his head over the fence, and then to Tsubasa, who is looking quite surprised as he takes in the paint horse.

"This is…..the someone you wanted me to meet?" He has this dumb look on his face.

"No, I wanted you to meet the fence." I say sarcastically. "Of course I wanted you to meet Apache!" I climb over the fence and pat the horses black and white flank, then grab onto his mane and leap onto his back, with no saddle or bridle.

"Whoa, I am so not riding that." Tsubasa is backing away.

"Puh-leeze?" I make puppy eyes at him and stick out my bottom lip.

"That won't wor- oh dammit, fine." He climbs on top of the fence and jumps into the air, somersaulting, and lands gracefully, silver hair flying around his face.

"Showoff." I complain as I reach out my hand. He grabs it and I lift him onto Apache's broad back.

"Ever ridden a horse before?" I ask.

"Nope." He answers. "First time for all."

"Well then, three tips. One, hold on. Two, don't get on Apache's nerves or he _will_ buck you off. Three, don't die. Understood? C'mon, 'Pache!" I kick his flank and the horse springs into a lively trot.

"Whoa!" Tsubasa yelps and her grabs onto my hoodie.

"Remember my tips!" I yell as Apache begins to canter smoothly in a circle, then heads for the fence.

"Go, Apache!" He springs neatly over the fence with centimeters to spare.

"Ahhh!" Tsubasa yells into my ear.

"Ouch, jeez." I complain. Apache begins to gallop, and he runs into the forest that borders Fusion Stables. He knows where I want to go.

"Okay, so now you can tell me more about legendary bladers!" I yell back to Tsubasa.  
He yelps and grabs my hoodie tighter. I feel almighty riding Apache, but I don't show it off.

"Ginka Hagane is one, and so are Kyoya and a guy named Yuki!" He yells. "Oh, and Ryuga!" He adds.

"Ryuga?!" I ask. If Ryuga is a legendary blader, than I want to be one too. I really want a chance to get revenge on that guy.

"Yes! Can you slow this monster down?!"

Apache snorts and I manage to grab onto his mane tighter before he stops and bucks. Tsubasa goes flying into a bush, and I burst out laughing as I dismount. Apache waits patiently for me, and lowers his head to graze on some grass surrounding a tree.

Tsubasa is looking extremely pissed off. "I. Am. Never. Riding. That. Beast. Again."

I'm laughing so hard I can't answer, or even breathe.  
"See? I told you to follow my rules!"


	4. The Pond

**Disclaimer, yeah. I'm gonna start doing these xD  
Anika: Horses are awesome.  
eaglenation: I second that feeling  
Tsubasa: I definitely do NOT.  
Anika: You're a loser.  
eaglenation: Yep, we all love you. So BTW, I do not own Beyblade or any characters from there, except the plot and my own characters as well as their beys.**

"I am never riding a horse again." Tsubasa grumbles as he removes a leaf from his silver hair with a grimace. I'm still grinning from ear to ear, and pat Apache, who has his massive head on my shoulder, slobbering all over my favourite light blue hoodie. We're sitting on a small wooden dock over a lake in the middle of the forest, Maddie and my favourite thinking place.

"I see why you like it." Tsubasa says, smiling, as we watch a heron land in the middle of the shallow lake. It's my private place, and sharing it with a stranger like him was a big decision. But I feel I can trust him. I catch his gaze on me, and he quickly looks away.

"So, tell me more about your mission." I decide to ask.

"Well, there was a huge amount of power detected here in Canada, twice in a row. And a satellite detected one star fragment headed here. The last one." He adds. "It came late after the others, fainter."

"And there are how many of these?" I ask.

"Ten, or eleven if you count the last one."

"Hmm…" I wonder, staring at the sky. Apache takes his head off my shoulder and begins to graze.

"Are you entering the Ontario Grand Beyblade Competition?" I inquire curiously, thinking of the huge competition I've been preparing for for ages. "The last qualifier is tomorrow."

"Competition?" If he were a dog, his ears would have pricked. It makes me think of a farm dog's reaction to the word 'squirrel', and it makes me grin wider.

"Yeah, me, Maddie, Ty and André are all entering. It's huge, the winner is announced top Canada blader. Aka my title." I can't help adding that last little detail. Maybe I do have an ego that's a bit oversized. Just a bit.

"Should I be jealous?" Tsubasa asks innocently.

"You should." I say, and start taking off my hoodie and shirt.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?" Tsubasa cries, startled.

"Going swimming?" I say, confused.

"Yo, I barely know you! Quit stripping!" Tsubasa yells, standing up.

"Whoa buddy, calm you're hormones. I have a bathing suit underneath. It's summer, after all." I laugh at his embarrassed face and take off my riding pants, revealing a blue and white polka dotted bikini. Considering I go swimming a lot in the summer, I like to wear a bikini under my clothes on warm days like today.  
I dip my feet into the warm and shallow water, then slip in with a sigh. "You know, you Japanese people really have to relax." I say, diving under. Then I come back up and clamber onto the dock, dripping water.  
"You are extremely weird." Tsubasa teases, taking off his boots. He dips his feet into the water like I do, and then exclaims; "Whoa! It's warm!"

"What did you expect?" I ask. "It makes a nice ice pond in winter though."

"Is it really as cold here as they say?" He questions curiously, staring up at the sky.

"Well, not here in Ontario. But you try visiting Québec, Andrés home place. Now that is cold with a capital C." I say, remembering the training we did in the meter long snows while preparing for the World Championships.

I suddenly look over at the boy beside me. I just met him today, yet I can feel a connection growing between us. My heart does that weird flutter again, and I wonder why. Mare begins to feel warm in my pocket, seconding my strange feelings. Apache looks up and nickers behind me, then strolls into the water.

"I miss my eagle." Tsubasa says, watching my gelding frolic in the water.

"You're Eagle? Don't you have it with you?" I inquire, surprised he would leave his bey.

"No, my eagle. My companion. I raised him." He shakes his head, mildly amused.

"Well, pardon my stupidity." I growl back. "Not all of us have pet eagles."

"Not all of us have pet horses." He replies.

"True that."


	5. The Tournament

**Disclaimer:  
eaglenation: *laughing her head off* Tsubasa, I love putting you in these funny situations!  
Tsubasa: Yeah, like when you made me fall off a horse?! Or when….oh wait, that's later on in the story.  
Anika: Spoiler alert!  
eaglenation: Maybe I'll spare you next time, eagle-boy, for a kiss? *makes puppy eyes*  
Tsubasa: Jeez. Awkward!  
eaglenation: Puh-weez?  
Tsubasa: *kisses eaglenation on the cheek, then runs away*  
eaglenation: *laughing head off* Mwahahaha! Had my fingers crossed!  
Anika: *also laughing head off* so, eaglenation only owns the plot and the characters that do not come from Metal Fight Beyblade, including their beys. **

"Wakey wakey!" I yell into Maddie's bedroom as my friend rolls over and stares at me uncomprehendingly.

"Mah whaaa?" She mutters sleepily.

"Last qualifier!" I call, reminding her. "If you want to beat me to number one, then you should go!" I've already qualified, but I can't withstand the urge of going again, even if to cheer everyone on. Maddie wasn't ready for the qualifier where I competed, and so she's entering today's. She knows it's her last chance. I grin at her and creep down the hallway leading to the guest room, where our dear horse-hating eagle-boy is sleeping. I peek over the doorway to catch his piercing yellow eyes glaring at me from a mirror, in front of which he is sitting, cross legged, brushing his long silver hair. There's a few strands that have gone rebellious, and he keeps running the brush over them to no avail.

"Bad hair day?" I ask, and stride in without asking if I can.

"Yeah, and that would be your fault." He grumbles, brushing faster, as if that helps.

"Why do you keep your hair long anyway?" I sit down beside him, and poke him in the shoulder.

"Ouch. Anika, are all Canadians as annoying as you?"

"Well, most. Mostly Maddie. You should see her on a sugar rush." I grin, remembering the time Maddie stole into my collection of chocolate.

"Is that the cute chick with the blond curls?" He asks, looking at me innocently. I can't help being hurt, and I make big eyes at him and shrug.

"Nope, it's the one that's always high. She's competing in the qualifier too."

"And Ty?" Tsubasa inquires, almost challenging.

"Actually, I have no clue. That guy's been disappearing lately."  
The yellow-eyes balder nods thoughtfully, staring at nothing for a second. Then he picks up the golden band her uses to keep his hair together, gathers his hair into that ponytail-thingy, and then gets up. I stare up at him from the floor, wondering. "Eagle-boy?"

"What? Shut up." He glares down at me, then grins. "Yes, mule-girl?"

"Oh, don't you dare." In a second, I'm on my feet, and I've got him pinned against the wall. He laughs, and shakes me off. "Wanna go? Let's do this."

"Dude, no. Just no."

*********************

"Great." I sit in the stands beside André, looking down on the stadium below, where Maddie is grappling with a dark-skinned guy, who wears a red band around his arm, battling with an Evil Sagittario. Maddie is a good blader, but she is struggling. This guy is also good.

"Maddie!" André and I cheer. She turns around, and gives me thumbs up. "I got this Anika! André!" She yells. "Apus!" She turns back around, and her bey, glowing pink, crashes into the Sagittario in a flower-shaped burst of light. I know Maddie is about to unleash a special move.

"Raaaaaaah!" An almost animal roar escapes the other guys throat, and he begins to glow a dark red.  
"You cannot defeat me!" I feel André start beside me. This is unnatural. I think we both think the same thing. That move would have taken down a lesser blader. Nevertheless, Maddie doesn't discourage herself. Quite the opposite. She begins to glow pink, and Apus bursts into flames.

"Apus, special move! Raining Light!" Apus leaps into the air with its quake performance tip and duplicates, then all its copies rain down on the Sagittario. The guy growls, and thows his hand up in the air. His bey spirit emerges, a red centaur, and gallops at the small pink bird that has emerged from Maddie's bey. I close my eyes. Final showdown. I ache to pull Mare out of my pocket, to launch her into the arena. André grabs my hand and shakes his head, mouthing 'no' to me.

A blast of red.  
A rain of sparks.  
A flower-shaped blast of pink.  
Then all goes quiet.

I peek from behind my hands. Maddie is standing, panting, a smug grin on her childish face. The other guy is lying in a heap on the other side of the stadium. He groan, picks up his crushed red bey, which is lying in front of him, and walks away, head down. Maddie laughs and catches Wing Apus.

"And _that_ is how it's done!" She yells. She has qualified. I wonder how Tsubasa is doing in the other stadium. I know his turn is next.

André and I leap down into the stadium and André hugs Maddie, then we set off in the direction of the other stadium, just to stop dead. Explosions rock the stadium, purple and green, and I can just barely see Tsubasa through the smoke. On the other side is a boy, roughly ten, with spiky lime green hair streaked with yellow, wearing a yellow t-shirt and black and green striped pants, a purple backpack on his back, from which I can see a launcher sticking out of. He is grinning, and I stand back as another purple explosion rocks the stadium. Tsubasa is more powerful, I am not surprised, but the kid refuses to give up.

"Sorry kid, but this is where your journey ends!" Tsubasa, the gentleman, apologizes, as his eagle flies into the air, and I know what's coming. The kid hisses, and I see his bey slide to the centre of the stadium. Then a green light explodes around it, solidifying into the shape of a dolphin. A huge wave swirls around it, and Tsubasa's eyes widen in shock, but he doesn't stop.

"Eagle, Metal Wing Smash!" He yells.

"Delphinus, Gale Promise!"  
Tsubasa's bey is engulfed by water, and I think it's over for him. Then his Eagle bey spirit emerges from the torrent and lands on the dolphin, kicking it away. The kid yelps as his bey goes flying out of the stadium, and the water disappears. Tsubasa catches his bey with satisfaction.

"There, kid. That was a weak water attack compared to the Cetus pair." He laughs.

The kids eyes widen. "You know…..my brother?"


	6. The Explosive

**Disclaimer:  
eaglenation: So, excuse my Hunger Games reference if you find it. I was having fun.  
Tsubasa: The story gets intense in the next chapter.  
Anika: Shut-up. You're gonna spoil it!  
Tsubasa: Hey, just saying! Anyway, eaglenation does not own Metal Fight Beyblade, only the plot and her own characters as well as they're beys.  
eaglenation: Thank you, eagle-boy. Now, if you would all like to note, this will be a dull chapter. Like the calm before a storm, *hint hint*  
Anika: Not you too! Okay, let's just get on with the story before eagle spoils anything more.**

Silence falls around out small group. André blinks stupidly, and Maddie gives a small, disbelieving cough. The boy looks confused.

"What?"  
Tsubasa is the first to speak. "You are, let me get this straight, the brother of Wales of Team Excalibur."

"That's right." The boy confirms.

"And you…..you're all the way in Canada for the reason of…?"  
The boy smiles like it's obvious, and leans down and picks up the green Beyblade lying at his feet. Then he lifts it up to show us.

"I'd like you to meet Grand Delphinus. He and I, we're going to be number one in the world."

"Jeez, we've got another Masamune." I hear Tsubasa mutter under his breath, and I make a note of asking him about it later. Then he continues. "Look, kid, all the times I've heard that are countless."  
The kid rolls his eyes and groans. "I don't even know your names! Do you expect me to tell my life story to strangers?"

André gives us all a strange look. "Yeah, he's got a point. _Anika_."

I don't get how this is my fault, so I roll my eyes back at him, mouth a rude word, and then point at myself. "I'm Anika, and this is Midnight Mare." I take Mare out for a brief second to show him. "This here is Maddie, blader of Wing Apus." I point to my best friend, and then move on to André. "This here is DeLamour, the big lazy butt."

André clears his throat. "It's André, actually. I blade with a Storm Hydra."

I open my mouth to interrupt, but Tsubasa gives me a nudge, and another glare. "I'm Tsubasa Otori. And you've met my Eagle."

The kid grins. "Yeah, you're good. Well, now I can tell you my name! I'm Robertus, Robbie for short."

The two targets shatter as I gallop Apache around the ring. Robbie and Tsubasa sit on the fence, observing my training silently. Robbie's eyes are as round as dinner plates. Beylauncher in hand, I launch Mare at the next target, which shatters also as Mare strikes it in the middle. I bring Apache to a stop, pulling on his bridle. He snorts and halts, and I dismount.

"Cool! Sweet!" It seems that I've made an admirer in the form of Robbie, who climbs down the fence and into the arena. I catch Mare as she leaps into my hand, a streak of dark blue light, with one hand, while holding the reins with my other. Robbie runs up, excited, the stops.

"Does…..he…..bite?" He points at Apache. My gelding gives him the dirtiest look I've ever seen from a horse.

"'Pache? Oh yeah, he eats little kids like you for dinner."

"Anika, be serious." Tsubasa joins us, and pats Apache's flank, his eyes on the horse's hooves, as if Apache is just waiting for a chance to kick him.  
"Come here, kid."  
I hope Apache can keep his hooves to himself, because Tsubasa is playing with equine fire. But Apache sighs, and I figure that means he gives up.

Robbie, meanwhile, has gathered grass, and begins feeding it to the gelding. Tsubasa stands away, and winks at me, though I can't figure out why. Then he pats Robbie's shoulder. "Robs, can you keep an eyes on Apache here while Anika and I go on a walk?"

"O-ka-ay?" There's question in Robbie's voice. I jump on Tsubasa's idea.

"Yeah, Maddie's in the stable, ask her if you want help. Here," I put Apache's reins in his hand. "Apache's a good horse."

"Cool! Thanks, 'Nika!"

"It's Anika." I correct him flatly.

"Okay, 'Nika!" He walks off, Apache towering over him by far. It looks really comic, and Tsubasa and I laugh. He takes my hand in a friendly gesture and leads me away from the stables. "You need some time off training, Anika."

"Yeah, right."

"Come on, let's just walk around. We'll be back for dinner."

I chuckle. "You seem at home now."

He grins crookedly. "I am."

*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&*&

We sit around the dining table back at the stables. Robbie's explaining his goal to enter the OGBC and is asking to stay at the stables. All André's guestrooms are now crowded, which had never happened before. I've kind of zoned out, and am swinging back and forth on a rickety old rocking chair in a corner, half asleep. Mare is pulsing in my pocket, exited for the soon beginning Ontario Grand Beyblade Competition. It seems all of us, including Robbie, have managed to qualify, and so it should be quite the interesting tournament. Finally, I get up, and all heads turn to me.

"I'm going to train. Anyone coming with me?"

Maddie laughs. "Again? Jeez, persistant, Anika. You are one blader."

"Beyblade is my passion. Anyone coming?" I repeat.

"I'll go." Tsubasa volunteers. Obviously, he'd go. I thought he would, and yet I'm somehow pleased. Maddie begins to sing under her breath: "Anika and Tsubasa, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N….."

"Maddie, you know I can hear that."

She smiles innocently. "What? Who knows what you do, all alone."

"Yes, Maddie, I'm sure we full out make out because we think no one can see us." Tsubasa answers flatly. I'm surprised he'd joke about something like this. "I don't know how much longer I'll stay here, so I want to see some more of the region is all."  
_  
Wait._ My heart stops. _Tsubasa is leaving already? But why?_ The thought travels through my mind like a wildfire. _Well, probably 'cause he needs to continue his mission._ But still, I can't help feeling a bit cheated.

"Well then, lovebirds, I'm coming with you." Maddie stands up. "Robbie, André, you guys coming?"

"I'll stay here." André answers while Robbie jumps up enthusiastically and volunteers as tribute.  
We all head out the door, towards the forest, where just yesterday Tsubasa and I had talked alone. Had that really been just yesterday? No way. It seems like the eagle-eyed blader has been here forever. We slowly reach the forest, and I hear Apache nicker as I pass his field. I smile, and I know my gelding feels left out.  
Maddie is up front, explaining things to Robbie. Then Tsubasa follows, and he suddenly turns around to me.

"Anika, do you even know where were going?"

"Yeah. There's a bey stadium down by the fields. It's made of an old tree stump. It practices your balance, so it's a good place for training.

"Cool. Eagle needs to stretch its wings, so that should be great."

"Yeah, come on!" I head off down a path, followed by Robbie.

"You coming, Maddie?"

Maddie is staring down another path, distracted. "Yeah, I'll be there in a sec. I…..I think I saw something."

I don't stop to think. "Okay!" I continue on running, Robbie panting to catch up with me. Tsubasa is far ahead. He stops when he finds the field and yells at us, "Is this it?!"

"Yeah!" I double my pace and join him, then point to a tree stump that has been smoothed out, but is still covered in bumps. André, Ty and I installed targets at the corners one day.

"What do we do?" Robbie asks, taking out his bey launcher and attaching Delphinus.

"Follow my lead, boys." I take Mare's launcher out of my belt, and attach Mare, then launch her into the stump with the cry of "Let it Rip!" Mare wobbles around the stadium, and I skillfully guide her between the bumps. Finally, I maneuver her off one of the bumps, and she flies towards a target, hitting a bit off-centre with a burst of blue light.

"My turn!" Both of the boys yell in unison, the push each other away from the stump.

"Tsubasa, give the kid a turn!" I laugh, and the Eagle blader groans and lets Robbie out of the arm-lock he's got him in. Robbie sticks out his tongue and launches Delphinus, who travels over a few bumps, and then seems to get the hand of it, and guides his green bey between them and aims at a different target. He hits the middle, and I whistle my congratulations. Tsubasa looks a bit envious, and I elbow him.

"Your turn-" My words are stopped by a thundering crash that sounds out back in the woods. It is followed by a huge explosion and the panicked neighs of horses. We all look at each other, and even the new-comer Robbie knows that was bad. We all catch our beys and run back into the forest, a full out sprint. We follow the path Maddie took, and I can only hope my friend is all right.  
As we near the end of the path, I see charred trees and a small bush on fire, the grass black and scarred. The shards of a broken bey litter the ground, and I see the blond-haired form of Maddie lying on the ground, lifeless. Behind her, I just barely see an orange-glowing shadow slip away into the trees.


	7. The WBBA

**eaglenation: Well then, I'm glad to be back to continuing my original FanFiction! I missed you guys!"  
Anika: Yeah, you ditched us at like the worst possible moment.  
André: Yeah, you like nearly kill Maddie and then *poof!* you just go and write other FanFictions like were not important.  
Tsubasa: You love me, remember?  
eaglenation: *grumble grumble* I suppose you're right, guys.  
Tsubasa, Anika and André: Of course we are!  
eaglenation: Okay, okay. So I do not own Beyblade Metal Fight, only the plot and my own characters as well as they're beys. A note to anyone that's read this far: I would really appreciate it if you review this story and tell me if you like it and what I should change.  
André: Okay, get along with the story!**

"Will she be fine, André?" I ask anxiously, peering over Tsubasa's shoulder at my unconscious best friend. Tsubasa had brought Maddie back (and to be honest, I am a little jealous) and she is lying on a couch in the TV room, André tending to her. She had minor burns and scratched that André, having worked as a WBBA paramedic, could handle himself. I still can't help the worry clouding my thoughts.

"She'll be fine, Last." André assures me, looking up from the couch at me. "She's just out cold."  
I feel a nudge on my shoulder and looked down to see Robbie peering around Tsubasa's elbow curiously.

"Scram, kid." Tsubasa says. "You're just a guest."

Robbie glares at him and sticks out his tongue. "So are you! And anyway, that was cool!" He says. "That HUGE explosion and then like that glowing orange shadow-"  
"Robbie, the last thing that was is cool." I say, herding the kid out the door. "You, as a kid who is only here because Maddie is an annoying mother hen who insisted on you staying with older teens, have no business in anything here."

"Awww…." Robbie whines.

"Why don't you go feed the horses?"

"Yeah, good idea!" Tsubasa calls from back in the room. I smile inwardly.

"Okay!" Robbie's eyes light up and he scampers off. _How in the world did he end up here?_ I wonder to myself as I jog back to André's side in the living room.

"You're absolutely sure she'll be okay?" I ask the Québec blader.

"Last, if you don't shut up, you might find out how it feels to be knocked out." André grumbles .

"_Excuse me_, Delamour." I bite back.

"Yo, Otori!" André calls.

"Yeah?" Tsubasa asks. He is leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking like a totally useless wall support.

"Why don't you take Last here and contact that WBBA of yours? They may be able to help us trace whoever did this."

"True. Come on, Anika." He grabs my hand and herds me away from André and the unconscious Maddie before I can protest. We walk that way to the guest room, where he has been sleeping, and neither of us pulls our hand away from the other. His hand, though gloved, is gentle and warm, and I relax my hand against his. We enter the guest room and I plop down on Tsubasa's bed while the silver-haired teenager pulls out a small silver laptop from a duffel bag. He clicks a button and it slides open, and I marvel at how high-tech it seems. He sits down beside me, our shoulders barely touching, and taps away at his laptop. Suddenly, two people appear on the screen. A tall red-haired man wearing a formal red suit, and a short blue haired woman in a darker blue dress, who is hugging a clipboard to her chest.

"Tsubasa, you need to see this." The red haired man says. "There have been multiple attacks like the one you contacted us about earlier, in both North and South America." So Tsubasa contacted them about Maddie earlier.

"Yes." Tsubasa nods.

"Hikaru, would you mind?" The red haired man asks. The blue haired woman, Hikaru, clicks some out-of-sight button and a map of Americe pops up. There are multiple glowing red dots on it. The red-haired man's voice sounds out from behind it. "These are all the attacks. They happen to powerful bladers, most of them having attended some high-level tournament and won.

"So like Maddie." I say. The man and Hikaru pop back up on screen.

"If that is your friends name, then yes. And Tsubasa, who is this?" He asks.

"Director, this is Anika Last, member of Canada's team, a strong blader who says she can help me." Tsubasa introduces me. I nod and wave, saying, "At your service!"

"Anika, this is Director Ryo Hagane of the WBBA."

"No-o way!" I shout. "Like, top Director? Gigka Hagane's dad? Sweet." I exclaim, surprised. Now that I know, I can see the resemblance between the Director and his son  
I've seen on TV. Red hair, annoying voice.

"So you can help in the search for the legendary bladers?" The Director asks.

"Yes I can."

"Director, Anika is really strong. I have a rising suspicion she may be the legendary blader."  
I turn to look at Tsubasa, surprised. He catches my eye and shrugs, smiling.

"Yes. I believe that the attacker must be a powerful blader as well. If all these attacks happen in America, it is very possible that he or she may be a legendary blader."

"Also true." Tsubasa says, nodding thoughtfully.  
And idea dawns on me suddenly. "Director, it is quite possible that this 'attacker' shows up at the Ontario Grand Beyblade Competition if he wants to attack more stronger bladers."

"Yes, that is what Hikaru and I thought." The Director confirms.

"Yes." Hikaru speaks for the first time. "So we're sending you back up. Yu, come here." She says. For a second, I think she is talking to either Tsubasa or me and I want to point out that we're on the other side of the world, until a spiky-yellow haired kid pups up on screen.

"Hey Tsubasa!" He grins, waving. Tsubasa groans. I have a feeling these two know each other too well.

"Hello, little boy." Tsubasa answers, facepalming. "Not him. We can manage fine on our own. Anyway, we have Robbie, if he wants to help."  
_Not another little kid!_ I groan inwardly.

The boy crosses his arms and pouts. "I'm one of Japan's top bladers and you don't want my help? Fine." He says, but then grins. "But I'm going to Canada anyway, to compete in the Ontario Grand or the whatchamacallit."

"Too bad, you had to qualify!" Tsubasa counters.

"Mr. Ryo called them and told them I was allowed to compete!" The little kid laughs. "Poor wittle Tsubasa, I get to beat you!"

"No you won't!" Tsubasa answers fiercely.

"Anyway, I'm coming to compete, so be prepared!" The little kid wags his finger.

The Director nods. "Anyway, Yus been moping around the WBBA headquarters lately because there are no competitons in Japan, so we found him something to do. You're facing something obviously huge and powerful, so you'll need all the bladers possible."

"Thank you, Mr. Director." I say before Tsubasa can start complaining again.

"We'll notify you if anything else comes up or if we find any more information." The Director says.

"Okay." The screen goes black.

"Who is that kid?" I ask my annoying eagle-eyed friend.

"His name is Yu Tendo, and he is my tag-team battle partner from Team Gan-Gan Galaxy." Tsubasa explains. "An annoying little kid, but he grows on you. He's sort of like that annoying little brother you never wanted to have."

"Mhh-hmm." I nod. "The Director's right, though, eagle-boy. We really are facing something bigger and more dangerous than we think."

"Yeah. And we're completely unprepared to fight it." Tsubasa confirms ominously.

"Thank you, Captain Sunshine."


	8. The Carefree

**Disclaimer:  
eaglenation: Hello. I'd like to thank all those reading this for their dedication. I have decided, as a bit of a reward, I guess, to let someone's OC into my story. If you're interested, please message me!  
Tsubasa: I have a feeling no one read this far.  
eaglenation: Me too. No one has reviewed. *makes face of shame* am I that bad?  
Anika: Cheer up! We love you, eagle.  
Tsubasa: *hugs eagle* just don't get any thoughts about discontinuing this fic.  
Anika: Yeah, eagle.  
eaglenation: I like you guys too much, don't worry. In a way, I'm writing this for me.  
Anika: A true author.  
eaglenation: Thanks guys. Tsubasa, you don't mind giving me another hug?  
Tsubasa: In your dreams!  
eaglenation: *smirks* Oh, I do much more than that to you in my dreams.  
Anika: eagle! You little…..no, just no.  
Tsubasa: Let's just…disclaimer.  
Anika: *facepalms*Yeah.  
eaglenation: Fine. I do not own Beyblade Metal Fight, only the plot and my own characters as well as their beys.  
Anika: Thank you.**

"My life now officially sucks." I mutter, leaning back on the deck with a groan. Tsubasa is lying beside me, gazing at the setting sun. The pond around us is peaceful, calm and serene.  
A week had passed.  
Maddie is now better, or at least healing. The Ontario Grand is starting tomorrow, and I tired myself out to my limits training with Tsubasa and Robbie, as well as André. No signs of Maddie's attacker have showed yet, and the WBBA has not contacted us yet.

"You think?" Tsubasa sits up, his long silver hair flowing around his shoulders. He rubs his face slowly. "I want to go back to Japan, where everything was normal."

"Hey! I thought you liked it here!" I exclaim. "Anyway, you`ve trained way to hard."

"We both have." He says. I sit up too, and on an impulse, run my hand through his silky hair.

"What are you doing?" He asks, smiling. He grabs my hand away and holds it to his face. I leave it there, tracing my finger down his jaw.

"I'll beat you tomorrow." I say, tracing his neckline with my hand. Then I pull away, suddenly conscious of what I'm doing. "Sorry."  
Tsubasa cocks an eyebrow.

"Don't be." He puts his gloved hand to my face, and I feel the rough leather. Then he nears his face to mine, and just like that, we're kissing. And there's only me and the eagle-eyed blader, and nothing worries me. I tangle my hands in his long hair and he runs his hands down my back, up my hoodie and my shirt, touching bare skin. I smile gently against his lips as his touch sends tingles up my spine. He smells of soap and something metallic, and I breathe in his scent. His hair is so soft to the touch, like silk, and I want this moment to last forever. From the moment I met him, I knew he would change my life. But I didn't know how drastically.  
I try to speak, but he silences me with another kiss, gentle and yet grasping, like he doesn't want to let go. And neither do I. Life is beautiful now, as beautiful as an eagle, that soars through the sky, that I'm touching now, stroking, breathing. It's just me and him…me and him…

"Oh. My. Bey Spirit."

We let go and whirl around, the silence torn with a child's voice. "ROBBIE!" We both exclaim in unison, backing away from each other.

Robbie is grinning evilly from ear to ear. "We're you just kissing?"

"No. We were simply exploring each other's…..okay, yeah, we were kissing." Tsubasa tries explaining, and fails miserably.

" Not a word to André or Ty, capiche?" I warn him. The kid laughs out loud.

"Tsubasa and Anika, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Well, everything except the tree-"

"First comes love, then comes marriage!"

"If you finish that, I swear kid-"

"Then comes GINGKA HAGANE in the baby carriage!" Robbie dances around us, waving his hands and laughing. I grab Tsubasa's hand in mine, then reach for Robbie's shirt, and heave them both into the water of the pond with all my force.

"Ahhhhhhh!" They gasp and come up spluttering, and I burst out laughing. "Teach you to make fun of-ahhhhhhhhh!" I scream as Tsubasa pulls me into the water after him. "You bey-breath! Come here eagle-boy!" I pull him under with me, and our thrashing about turns into another kiss, which is interrupted by Robbie, who jumps off the deck and cannonballs into us, breaking us up and giving me a fair sized bruise.

"You chump!" Tsubasa grabs him and tosses him away from us, and we're all laughing so hard we can't breathe.

Suddenly, Maddie and André are in the clearing, observing us with strange loos on their faces.

"Come in!" I yell, happily. "The water is warm!" André and Maddie exchange glances, and grab each-others hands, and leap in after us, with their clothes still on, and now we're all a huge wet mess.

Our laughter can be heard above the trees, and a heron swoops in, curious of all the noise, and decides to try out Robbie for taste, and comes diving in, hitting his ass with its beak. Robbie squeals and is chased out of the water by the huge bird, and we all watch him struggle with evil grins on our faces. Finally, André takes pity on the kid and chases the bird away with his Storm Hydra. Robbie lies panting on the deck.

"Why didn't you help me?!" He shouts at us.

"Revenge."I laugh. "Robbie and a heron, sitting in a tree-"

"I get it, okay Anika?" Robbie rubs his butt and treads back into the water, grimacing.

"It's okay kid. At least you didn't fall off a horse." Tsubasa tries to comfort him, but ends up laughing again. This may be the most fun I've had for ages. André, Maddie, Tsubasa, Robbie and me, together. Like a family, a big happy family with no troubles or worries.

But we do have worries.

"Don't spoil the moment for yourself." Tsubasa whispers in my ear. I give him a surprised look, and he shrugs. "You get this far off look when you're worried."

I smile, and then kiss his cheek. "Thank you, eagle-boy."

"Any time, mule-girl."

"Hey, lovebirds! Come on!" Maddie and André are climbing out of the lake, dripping wet. "Aren't you hungry?"

We look at each other, and my green eyes meet his golden ones. He smiles, amused.  
"Does your life suck now?"

I suddenly get a stupid idea. "Not when you're in it!" And I dunk his head under water.


	9. The First Round

**eaglenation: The generic bladers were named by a…strange person who I know. Sort of. Yeah, no complains, I wrote this in Tech class. Oh, and all copyright of the name Shelby Flute goes to my brother -_-.  
Anika: Beautiful names.  
eaglenation: Thank you, I'm glad you like them.  
Anika: Oh yeah, cause Clint Barton is totally a blader-  
eaglenation: SHUT YER YAP YOU PITIFUL MORTAL!  
Anika: Okay, okay. Are you sure you're not related to Ty?  
eaglenation: NO! I'd like to shout out to all those who bothered reviewing and/or reading this, you guys are amazing. **

"Let's get ready to rrrrrrrrumble!"

Cheers burst out around the stadium, the audiences eyes trailed on the center, where the action will soon happen. Blader DJ stands on a balcony, microphone in hand.

"And our final competitors have qualified! They will face off in these two stadiums until four remain, and then two!" Blader DJ calls. "The twenty competitors are, in order of points: Tsubasa Otori, Silvion Black, Anika Last, Robertus Storm, André Delamour, Maddie Irvine, Mitomosi Dekoshugu, Yu Tendo, Ty Temper, Clint Barton, Antoine LeBeaux, Nicolai Rubenstein, Shelby Flute-" He names all the competitors as they walk out onto the stadium. I follow Tsubasa and Robbie is behind me. I can see nervous written all over his face.

"And finally, the strange and mysterious Secret!" A final, shadowed figure follows us, cloaked in mist. He is wearing a orange and silver half-mask across half his face, so I can barely make out his features. He has golden hair streaked with blue, and a dark black jacket thrown overtop a blue shirt. People turn to stare, as do I. Could this be our legendary blader? Could this be Maddie's attacker? I just hope he's as good a blader as he looks. I look forward to battling him.

"Let the Ontario Grand Beyblade Competition open!" Sparks and streamers fly, cannons boom, and we walk off stage. I'm full of giddy energy and can't wait to get going, and I can see the same written on the faces of my companions.

"Who goes first?" I ask.

"Wait and see." Tsubasa answers. He's staring at the large jumbotron over the stadium apprehensively and excitedly.

"I want to battle Anika!" Robbie exclaims. "I haven't battled you yet."

"Hey, eagle-boy, is your friend here yet?" I ask Tsubasa.

"Who? Yu Tendo? Yes, he is. Didn't you hear his name?"

"Dude, I have the worst memory for names ever." I roll my eyes, then turn to Robbie, who is bouncing on his heels, fingering his beyblade.

"Hey, Robster, you excited?"

"Yeah!" Robbie exclaims. The enthusiasm radiates from him and seems almost infectious. Its slowly contributing to me.

"Now, the pairings for the first round!" Blader DJ yells. All eyes turn to the jumbotron. I hear Maddie whisper something under her breath. Robbie crosses his fingers.

Pictures begin to appear on screen, slamming into place. Robbie and a yellow haired kid, André and some dude with a bow and arrow, I hiss, Tsubasa and Maddie. More pictures. Bang, bang, bang. Then finally, I appear, and I'm surprised to find myself facing a small blue haired girl.

"And now for the stadiums!" Blader DJ calls.

Doors slide open and five stadiums come out across the whole arena. People cheer.

"The battles begin in five minutes! Be ready!"

The screen goes black.

"I'm battling you already?" Maddie asks, surprised, pointing at Tsubasa.

"Wow. That was unexpected." Tsubasa answers. "Anika, you can't watch us then!" He exclaims.

I grin. "I'll finish my battle quick. And anyway, I might not be battling at the same time as you. There's only five stadiums for ten battles." I assure him. "Speaking of battles, we'd better go find out which stadium were battling in." We leave the waiting room and proceed to the sign-up booth, where a sign is posted. We all check our order

"Maddie, you and I are battling first." Tsubasa points to a square. "Stadium one. Come on!" He grabs her hand and pulls her, and I throw him a don't-you-dare-cheat-on-me-you-dirty-man-whore look. He catches my glance and grins, then he's gone.

"I'm battling the Clint Barton dude first." André murmurs.

"I'm facing...some Cindy Herondale." I squint to read the board. "Yep. I'm battling second, so I'll go watch Maddie and Tsubasa's battle.

André nods and leaves. I head to the bleachers, where I join Robbie. "Not battling?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "No. I'm battling some Yu Tendo second."

"Oh!" I exclaim. "You're battling Yu?"

"You know him?" Robbie asks, taking a sip of the slushie he's got in his hand.

"Sort of. Let's watch." We move to the bleachers above stadium one, where Tsubasa and Maddie are in ready positions.

Blader DJ walks back on his balcony. "Everyone here? Hold on to your seats, folks, because the rides beginning!"

"Three!" I begin with the crowd.

"Two!" Robbie joins in.

"One! Let it Rip!"

"And they're off, ladies and gentlemen!" Blader DJ calls. Maddie's Wing Apus and Tsubasa's Earth Eagle circle the stadium, Eagle chasing Apus. Maddie laughs and swings her hand out, shouting "Run Apus run!"

"No you don't!" And in a split second, the beys are clashing in a shower of sparks, metal against metal. I immediately see Tsubasa has the upper hand, though I can't decide who to root for. _Maybe they'll tie,_ I think.

"Apus, let's go!" Apus spind away from Eagle, circling back around.

"Running? Is that your tactic?"

I grin. This is Maddie's favourite battle style. Tire out the opponent, the add the finishing touch with her powerful special move. It's working, as balance-type Eagle's spinning speed drops.

Tsubasa isn't done yet. "Go! Eagle, Smashing Claw!" Suddenly, Eagle catches Apus, landing on top of it like a meteorite. Maddie mutters a curse as Apus is sent flying, teetering on the edge of the stadium. Eagle comes around again, and this time catches Apus, and begins attacking it in a barrage, like it did when I battle Tsubasa.

"Ah!" Maddie exclaims as this time her Apus' spin weakens.

"Go get 'em tiger!" I don't know who I'm cheering to, but this battle is getting exciting. Both Robbie and I are on the edges of our seats. Robbie is slurping his slushie maniacally.

The beys circle and smash into each other again and again, sparks showering everywhere. Pink and purple, they have a majestic air to them as the bird of paradise and the eagle face off. Both beys are weakening and this can't continue much longer.

"I'm getting tired of this!" Maddie calls. "Let's go! Final showdown!"

"I've been waiting for that!" Tsubasa calls. Eagle leaps into the air, glowing purple. It's bald eagle beyspirit appears, and flaps its wings in an ark. I can understand now why they call Tsubasa the Beautiful Eagle. It truly is a sigh to behold.

I know what's coming next. I can feel it.  
"Eagle, Shining Tornado Buster!" Eagle begins to dive, as if hunting, a tornado of purple heated energy surrounding it's core. Maddie's eyes widen, and her Apus only manages to spin slightly and begin to glow pink before Eagle send it out of the stadium.

"Dammit!" Maddie, though not overly angry, curses as she runs to pick her pink bey up. Tsubasa catches Eagle with satisfaction and puts it back in the beyholder on his arm, then walks over to Maddie, who is till kneeling, shocked. Tsubasa hold his hand out, and Maddie takes it with a smile.

************************************

_That was too easy,_ I think as I catch Midnight Mare, leaving my opponent to run after her bey, which has flown across the stadium to the far side. Mare isn't even smoking. It hadn't taken any effort at all, just one special move.

"That was no fun." I grumble. I finished my battle quick because I want to go watch Robbie battle Yu in stadium three. I tuck Mare into the dark blue beyholder strapped to my belt and head away, leaving the stadium singed. I wish my battle may have been more remarkable, like Tsubasa and Maddie's.

Green and blue are erupting from stadium three, and I know immediately that something exciting is happening. I run up the bleachers and across to where I can get a better view of the battle.

I was right. The stadium has been turned to sand in an effort to stop Robbie's Grand Delphinus, but it hasn't worked. Another bey, a green one that must belong to Yu, clashes with Robbie's Delphinus over and over, producing more sparks.

"Why didn't my sand attack bust you?" The yellow kid I'd sort-of met over Tsubasa's laptop calls.

Robbie grins. "Delphinus is a dolphin from the sea! And what's on the bottom of the sea?"

"Sea shells?"

I facepalm.

"No, sand!" Robbie giggles. "My turn! Delphinus, Gale Promise! Let's wash that sand away!"

A deadly inferno of water swirls across the stadium, washing across Yu's bey.

"No! Flame Libra!" Yu gasps, then a demonic smile stretches his lips. "He-hey! You're good, I'll give you that! But not as good as my Libra! Go! Inferno Blast!"

With a horrendous screech, a pillar of green light separates the water. At this point, all the attention in the whole competition turns to stadium three. Tsubasa takes a seat beside me swiftly, putting an arms around my shoulder. I have a feeling he's seen this ear-splitting phenomenon before.

In the stadium, Delphinus is being drawn closer and closer to the pillar of flame. I have a feeling it's all over. I'm wrong.

"Blast it away! I was going to save this for the finals, but I can't. Oh well! Delphinus, ultimate Special Move, Final Tempest Maelstrom!"

I can't see anything as I'm hit by a wave of water. The green light disappears, and I close my eyes as I'm soaked to the bone. The spectators around me gasp and shield their faces to no avail. The water reaches us all.


End file.
